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By midlandsmovies, Jan 1 2019 10:26AM

Vamporama Films presents director Chrissie Harpers second short film Monsters, an eerie outlook of a dystopic future.

The film focuses on one Man (Liam Woon) as he addresses how this ruined world came to be, walking his audience through the history of horrific events that have taken place.

The man details that “monsters have emerged” and that they are “callous” and “unforgiving”, he goes on to say that humans have been forced to live underground much like the setting of the film as it is wholly set in an abandoned air raid shelter.

Who the monsters are? Where they have come from? Why they have attacked? These questions are not made clear. The man speaks softly but ambiguously as if he doesn’t want to know the full story. He continues to divulge that humans can be monsters also, that they have exacted vengeance after the initial attacks which have resulted in the monsters fearing humans also.

This is where Monsters shines, Harper successfully plants a dialogue inside the viewer’s minds asking them if humans are so different to monsters. Whilst watching the film I couldn’t help but mirror our history, our present and what could be our future to what was being displayed on screen. Is this the result of toxic human behaviour?

The fantastic story idea is credited to Steve Green who also produces, whilst director Chrissie Harper also writes the screenplay. Harper with the help of sole actor Liam Woon, creates an overwhelming sense of dread, that all hope is lost. The fact this takes place underground gives off the impression humanity has lost and the monsters have won.

Liam Woon, who also starred in Vamporama Films previous short All Bad Things, is given the huge task of being the only actor, a job he seems to relish as he delivers his monologue poetically and concisely.

I was hoping for clarity at the end of Monsters, who is the Man speaking to? Is he making a record for the future? One could argue the ambiguity of the films nature is what makes it successful, regardless, the last five seconds of Monsters will leave the viewer with a smile…or a shudder.

By midlandsmovies, Jul 7 2018 08:16AM

New West Midlands horror short Monsters gets underway

Hot on the heels of their short giallo thriller 'All Bad Things...', which had its premiere at the 2018 Grindhouse Planet Film Festival, Midlands-based Vamporama Films is in pre-production on a new project, 'Monsters'.

This dark tale stars William Hayes and will be directed by Chrissie Harper, whose screenplay was based on a storyline by producer Steve Green.

With pre-production beginning in November 2017 the story is set in the “shadows of a ruined world, where a lone individual addresses an unknown audience”.

Are they his accusers? His judges? His acolytes? Well, Vampora Films hopes to draw the viewer into their dark universe asking whether he might be a madman or a messiah.

With All Bad Things (see Midlands Movies coverage here) complete, and the new production now well underway, the extraordinarily talented William Hayes is attached to what they describe as “a one-man tour de force”.

Previously William has appeared at the company’s regular film nights and in October 2017 he mesmerised an appreciative audience with a gripping rendition of Poe’s ‘The Tell-Tale Heart’.

With location scouting complete, Chrissie Harper is currently storyboarding the film’s key elements (see her promo piece above). Chrissie herself is a Solihull based filmmaker from the West Midlands who is influenced by Orson Welles and has previous experience in editing, design, film-making & video editing.

Having additional experience in illustration this has become crucial in the development of each of her projects including this latest one, Monsters.

Producer Steve Green is known throughout the Midlands with his film work for Made in Birmingham as well as the very successful Birmingham Horror Group nights in the region.

To follow the progress of the film please check out their official sites below:

By midlandsmovies, Nov 2 2017 09:23AM

All Bad Things is a new Midlands short that has been written and directed by Chrissie Harper, from an idea by producer and former Solihull News reporter Steve Green.

The two began collaborating on reports for local channel Big Centre TV (now Made in Birmingham TV) last year, and have since begun developing a raft of drama projects.

This particular film features actor Liam Woon as book agent Mike Daventry who becomes increasingly frustrated when one of his top authors fails to turn up to a business meal. Things turn even stranger when a mysterious young woman (Demelza O’Sullivan) arrives in her place.

Written (and directed) by Chrissie Harper, the short was filmed in Solihull at the Rajnagar International Restaurant, which is soon about to celebrate its 30 year anniversary after years of serving award-winning cuisine.

The shoot involved a team of 18 and restaurant owner Dr. Moula Miah turned up to wish the cast and crew and everyone involved with the production good luck. "The film is set in a high class restaurant, so having the use of the Rajnagar was a dream come true”, says Steve Green.

“Dr Moula Miah and his staff really put themselves out for us, and it was a terrific boost to get their support."

With even more surprises on the menu for Liam Woon's increasingly bewildered agent Mike, the film got its first public screening on Halloween at the Gunmaker’s Arms in Birmingham with more plans in the pipeline!

Watch the film’s trailer on the YouTube link above.

To find out more about the short and the production follow on Twitter here: